Do you believe everything you read on the Internet? Website Evaluation Do you believe everything you read on the Internet? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DZbSlkFoSU
Step 1: Look at the URL .gov (government) .edu (college or university) Consider using this site if: Question this site if: .gov (government) .edu (college or university) .org (non-profit organization) .com (business) .k12 (school) Personal site (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) URL: Uniform Resource Locator aka web address
Step 2: Authorship Author is unqualified Consider using this site if: Question this site if: Author seems to be an expert in his or her field Organization is respected in its field Organization is governmental or non-profit There is contact information. Author is unqualified Organization has a commercial interest
Step 2: Authorship Look at the “About” or “About us” link that can usually be found at the bottom of the page.
Step 3: Bias The site’s purpose is: information news Consider using this site if: Question this site if: The site’s purpose is: information news scholarship (learning) The site’s purpose is: advocacy (promotes a point of view) personal interest advertising entertainment
Step 4: Content The site has mistakes in spelling or grammar. Consider using this site if: Question this site if: The information has been published in a newspaper, journal, or magazine. The information has been subjected to peer review. The site includes a works cited list or bibliography. You can read and understand the information. The site has mistakes in spelling or grammar. Sources are not cited. The information is difficult to read or understand. There are advertisements.
Step 5: Date It is continuously updated. Consider using this site if: Question this site if: It is continuously updated. The information is currently published. Links work. Information was last updated more than a year ago. Sources cited are more than 10 years old. Links are broken.
Bibliography Chan, Shirley. "Website Evaluation." Virtual Learning Space /. N.p., 2 Nov. 2010. Web. 02 Feb. 2014. "State Farm® - State of Disbelief (French Model)." YouTube. YouTube, 28 June 2012. Web. 02 Feb. 2014.